Faerun Pantheon use in Waterdeep campaign

[Patmeister]

Hello!

If anyone is in my game, please don't continue reading.

I'm starting the next chapter in my game, and it's been building towards a teaming up of Lolth, Tiamat and Cyric who's followers are working together to free them all from their various locations and bring them into the material plane somewhere on or in Mount Waterdeep. The characters are aligned with Lady Laeral, and I'm trying to build up to an epic level adventure where, if the players fail to stop it, all three emerge upon Waterdeep.

What I'm looking at in terms of who is involved or might be interested in the situation, Lady Laeral is sending the players to figure out whats going on from the evidence that's emerged so far.

We're just starting down this new chapter after concluding a chapter roughly modelled after the Greenwood novel Death Masks. In that adventure, I introduced Jalanvaloss, but the players don't YET know that she is a dragon.

I'd note that while there's a lot of moving peices here, I don't plan on having every little thing involved, but want to have an idea of what COULD Be involved if it makes sense given the players choices

I'm considering introducing "Chosen" to the characters as they transition into 10th+ level, based on what dieties are interested in this fight or make sense for the character.

What I'm trying to figure out is if there are gods that might want to get in on this so far:

Mystra will likely be using Laeral as her hand in fighting this
Bahamut maybe? and how?
Eilistraee has already been introduced as being involved, she's seeking to send her followers to oppose those of Lolth
Kalemvor/Helm maybe lend support to help stop Cyric?
Any others? Would elven dieties or Corellon himself be interested?

Most importantly, one of the characters is a priest of Tempus, would he be interested in the fight, perhaps in lending him Chosen status given he's going up against gods and that's a truly worthy battle?

This is anticipated to be quite a long campaign, and I'm building out my optional storyline pieces, so any feedback on thoughts or considerations is much appreciated!

[ReaperChaos]

This will be quite a bland answer, but my suggestion would be to do a bit of research on the Faerunian pantheon. Focus a bit on: Influence on mortal matters depending on the situation, relationship of Gods with other Gods and relationship of Gods with their mortals. Find some common ground and start from there. A simple answer would be to have the rivals of the three Gods being involved. As far as Elven Gods are concerned, I believe Correlon would get involved in some way if their revival will pose a threat to the entire Elven race. The biggest interference of Correlon that comes to my mind was the Curse he placed on the Dark elves. I could see Tempus helping his follower in such an ordeal, if the Cleric is worth it. Not sure about giving him 'Chosen' status, but there are many ways for the God to help him. A vision to a powerful artifact of war perhaps. With that said, I can see something similar being used by other Gods. Basically giving signs of approval to the party which would be widly recognised, opening doors for them which could give them the necessary support to stop such a fight.

Hope this helped.

[Unoriginal]

I just want to point out that Lolth isn't "trapped" in 5e, to my knowledge.


Heck, one of her recent schemes involved sending *other* Demon Princes to Faerun against their will so she could do whatever she wanted in the Abyss.

[bobofwestgate]

Mystra is dead in 5e. That's what caused the spell plague if I recall. Correlon is the god of magic now I think. I haven't really read a ton of 5e forgotten realms materials

[RedMage125]

I just want to point out that Lolth isn't "trapped" in 5e, to my knowledge.


Heck, one of her recent schemes involved sending *other* Demon Princes to Faerun against their will so she could do whatever she wanted in the Abyss.

One of the new edicts regarding the gods during the Sundering was that they can no longer just manifest on the Material plane willy-nilly. They must be summoned.


Mystra is dead in 5e. That's what caused the spell plague if I recall. Correlon is the god of magic now I think. I haven't really read a ton of 5e forgotten realms materials

That was 4e. The Sundering brought back pretty much all the gods who have ever died. So Myrkul and Bhaal are back (kind of pedantic how Myrkul's portfolio exists in a world that still has Kelemvor), Mystra is back, even Leira, the illusion goddess that Cyric murdered pretty much right after ascending. Amaunator and Lathander are both alive, and are not the same god. Helm and Tyr are back. The Dark Seldarine are back (including Eilistraee). Pretty much the only deity that FR has ever had that isn't back is Tyche, because she was split into Tymora and Beshaba.

[Irennan]

Mystra is dead in 5e. That's what caused the spell plague if I recall. Correlon is the god of magic now I think. I haven't really read a ton of 5e forgotten realms materials

As RedMage said, she's back (and has been for more than 4 years now, alongside a lot of other gods), but it has also been revealed that she never died and survived by hiding in a bear (literally), and re-emerged later. Corellon has always been the god of elven magic traditions, but while Mystra was absent her position remained empty.

[dreast]

Amaunator is still dead, but he’s back in the sense that he’s not Lathander anymore, and also he never was, and also 4e SUCKED, and anyway Amaunator was created dead. Also, even when he was alive he died and came back every day, so it’s not like he doesn’t have experience at resurrection... Anyway, having paladins and clerics of the dead god of the sun and BUREAUCRACY is one of the favorite things of my Faerun campaigns. (Also, with another empire slowly forming out of the city-states of the north, maybe that portfolio is picking up some zip again...)

[Patmeister]

I could see Tempus helping his follower in such an ordeal, if the Cleric is worth it. Not sure about giving him 'Chosen' status, but there are many ways for the God to help him. A vision to a powerful artifact of war perhaps. With that said, I can see something similar being used by other Gods. Basically giving signs of approval to the party which would be widly recognised, opening doors for them which could give them the necessary support to stop such a fight.

Hope this helped.

These were REALLY helpful suggestions! Definitely going to start bringing this in! It could also really help to build the suspense that this is a _Big_ storyline approaching if gods are starting to poke and prod in smaller ways.

Thanks everyone else for the comments too, there's been some really good stuff to add to the campaign, I'm definitely seeking a way to pop in some Amaunator now!

[Corran]

Most importantly, one of the characters is a priest of Tempus, would he be interested in the fight, perhaps in lending him Chosen status given he's going up against gods and that's a truly worthy battle?

Or, if you find this kind of twist/intrigue clichés more fun than annoying, you could have Tempus instruct the cleric to facilitate the doomsday plan, while also working with the other PC's on trying to make the rest of the world ready to oppose the three gods when they emerge in the material plane. For the purpose of creating a very prolonged and cruel war. Cause Tempus is the god of war (or at least one of the war related gods), and if such a war broke out, it would make him more powerul, or sth like that. I am basically thinking of Apollyon from 'For Honor' right now.

[Irennan]

Amaunator is still dead, but he’s back in the sense that he’s not Lathander anymore, and also he never was, and also 4e SUCKED, and anyway Amaunator was created dead. Also, even when he was alive he died and came back every day, so it’s not like he doesn’t have experience at resurrection... Anyway, having paladins and clerics of the dead god of the sun and BUREAUCRACY is one of the favorite things of my Faerun campaigns. (Also, with another empire slowly forming out of the city-states of the north, maybe that portfolio is picking up some zip again...)

You're right about Amaunator was created dead, but Sernett said that Amaunator has taken an identity of his own and is now currently alive alongside Lathander. Confusing, but that's what we have.

[dreast]

You're right about Amaunator was created dead, but Sernett said that Amaunator has taken an identity of his own and is now currently alive alongside Lathander. Confusing, but that's what we have.

Eh, fair enough. Still dead in my campaigns, though.